There is today no medical garment which appears satisfactory in structure and function to both patients and medical personnel. The industry appears to have ignored the fact that the users of medical garments have unique, serious needs that can be met by practical, well thought out medical garments. Like any other medical equipment, medical garments should be functionally attunded to the needs of the users.
Presently, prior to the present invention, medical garments have been modeled after institutional garments used in hospitals. An example is a smock-type, one piece dress (usually pea green) having two sleeves and a tied (or snapped) opening down the back. Such garments have little practical value to the patient, to the doctor or to the clinical staff. Such garments are especially cumbersome and embarrassing to female patients. Prior art garments are difficult to remove from a patient with an "I.V." (intravenous tubes) in her arm. Removal or changing of clothes requires removal and reinsertion of the I.V. and can be dangerous as well as cumbersome. A female patient who is in for a shoulder examination must expose her entire upper torso for the examination. A patient in for a breast examination must drop her entire gown. It can be seen that other inconveniences and problems beyond those mentioned above are being fostered by prior medical garments.